The 55 Project

Every poem in this blog has been inspired by the 55th chapter of Isaiah. It began as a challenge to members of my Festival Circle at the 2014 Festival of Faith & Writing in Grand Rapids, Michigan — D.S. Martin

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

If you are considering submitting poetry to the anthology — Adam, Eve, & the Riders of the Apocalypse — you might want to include poems about characters or incidents that have been under-represented in the submissions I've received so far. Here are some suggestions:----— Joseph (son of Jacob)----— David----— Old Testament prophets (Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel...)----— Stephen----— The road to Damascus----— Paul's shipwreck----— John on Patmos----— Anything else from Revelation

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Here is a new writing challenge! Write a poem (or many poems) in the voice of a Biblical character, addressed to a Biblical character, or about a Biblical character. This time the results won't appear as a blog, but as a book in the Poiema Poetry Series. You will find the CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS below:

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

A new poem has been posted every week on the 55 Project blog, from April through to December 2014. At the end of that stretch, I decided the project was complete. Perhaps The 55 Project will inspire the beginning of something new. I would like to thank all of the poets who have contributed.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Shalt thou give law to God, shalt thou dispute
With him the points of liberty, who made
Thee what thou art, and formed the pow'rs of heav'n...
As by his Word the mighty Father made
All things, ev'n thee, and all the Spirits of heav'n
By him created in their bright degrees,
Crowned them with glory, and to their glory named
Thrones, Dominions, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
Essential Powers, nor by his reign obscured,
But more illustrious made, since he the head
One of our numbers thus reduced becomes,
His laws our laws, all honour to him done
Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage,
And tempt not these; but hasten to appease
Th' incensèd Father and th' incensèd Son,
While pardon may be found in time besought.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

John Milton of London, England is best known for his great epic Paradise Lost (1667). Visit Kingdom Poets to find out more.The selection above is in the voice of a Seraph named Abdiel, who is rebuking Lucifer for his "impious rage". The final line quoted reflects Isaiah 55:6.

Paul Willis of Santa Barbara, California is the author of three poetry collections, the most recent being Say This Prayer Into The Past (Poiema Poetry Series/Cascade Books). He is the former Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara, and is Professor of English at Westmount College. Visit Kingdom Poets to find out more about him.

(a poetry blog about Isaiah 55)

About Me

D.S. Martin's books include: Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by the Legacy of C.S. Lewis (2013), Poiema (2008) and the chapbook, So The Moon Would Not Be Swallowed. He is also the Series Editor for the Poiema Poetry Series from Cascade Books.